PDA's and sat nav.

[Rustynuts]

Seen a few posts recently regarding sat nav features which can be added to various pda's, mobiles etc. I've been wondering whether anyone uses sat nav in the real world, or if it's a white elephant.

Second question would be what sort of a setup would be best for just this function. I really don't think I have a need for a PDA, unless there's some features about them I don't know about, but for travelling abroad, and locating local (ish) addresses while at work etc would sat nav of some sort be any use.

Finally, does anyone use a PDA, and what for? If you can convince me I desperately need one then the sat nav would be easier to justify.

Thanks in advance.

[sayerbloke]

Guy at work bought one recently and loves it. Think it`s more a toy to him than anything useful. He`ll play games, maybe record appointments for himself on it, but I think the GPS/Sat Nav was a big reason for getting it.

We used it a couple of days this week when in London. It`s as accurate, if not more so, than the system built in to my boss's Range Rover. We set them both up and had them see which routes they chose. Quite impressive, really.

[xspencex]

I have a Palm Tungsten E, its a pretty simple no frills PDA..colour but only has a the basic software and I love it, I've alwasy been bad at buying technology I'd never use but I do use this PDA, as a note taker, diary, picture viewer.. When I was working last year I used it to cary round excel spread sheets showing huge amounts of data.. I didn't want to carry round the Laptop and the PDA did the job instead..

Mine only cost £140... Some of the others cost about 3 times that but to be honest I wouldn't use half of their capability... I'm happy with my bobby basic model..

[UBM]

I have a Dell Axim X-5 with the 400 processor and upgraded memory. I have TomTom 3 for full colour SatNav and CheckPoint for POI warnings (including "safety cameras"). I use it also for the office (linked to my PC) and at home with a wireless card for TSN etc!

[Rustynuts]

Thanks Mods. I knew there'd be a place for this but missed this area.

DM. or anyone for that matter, how easy are they (pda's) to use for, say, a database in Lotus Approach or Access? How do they interface with a pc (cable, bluetooth or memory card). I presume they use some sort of trimmed down Windows OS or similar.

As for the sat nav, is it a useable feature or not. I mean, can it be used every day or is it a fart on to get it to take you where you need to go?

[UBM]

My PDA operates on Microsoft Windows for Pocket PC. It has Word, Excel, Access and a few other bits, including Internet Explorer.

I syn (interface with a PC) at home and at work, via a cradle which also charges the battery. The cradle connects to the PC via USB.

I also have a bluetooth card which fits into the CF slot and can sync to a bluetooth enabled PC, although can't get this to work too well.

As for the SatNav, TomTom3 is great. I use it every day and is easy to use.

I reckon my PDA is the best gadget I've ever bought.

[Sparky]

Windows based PDA's come with Pocket Access which isn't 100% compatiable with the desktop version. When you copy the file back and forth it performs the "translation", so that it will work on both machine types, so make sure you use MS ActiveSync when moving files.

My iPaq 2210 uses Bluetooth, but I don't like Bluetooth's speed and have installed a Dlink Air card for wireless access to the Internet/Network and desktop PC. Of couse, as DM said, it uses USB if docked in the cradle.

Windows Mobile 2003 SE is a Windows XP embedded product and runs off the processor. If you let the batteries flatten, any installed software (not the OS) is lost unless you "commit it to ROM" in which case it's stored. Use this only for critical settings or files as it's limited space.

The rest is stored on removable memory cards which aren't that expensive.

They aren't a faff, but take a little getting used to. Typing long documents is a pain but for quick work, surfing and contacts/diary and games they are good.

Slot in some decent apps such as SavNat and it's worth the money.

You can also upgrade them with all manner of add-ons such as barcode readers, 2MB Cameras etc.. Do not get a PDA with anything less than a 400mhz Processor these days.

A executive toy no doubt, but very useful.

[Rustynuts]

Thanks, lads. I've done some internet trawling and I think I've convinced myself that it's (pda) not going to be any real use to me. All my complete customer list is at home on the PC, and phone numbers are in the mobile. It's really all I need and even though I enjoy technology and suchlike, if I bought one I think i'd spend a short while playing and then find it was a white elephant. I've more or less decided that a "Smartphone" and mobile/bluetooth sat nav kit is going to be a better option. Also, this option keeps costs down as my mobile renewal will be due before long, and I can get the phone for free, hopefully.

So next question would be, TomTom or Route 66? Who's used these and how do they compare?

[Sparky]

If you want a phone and PDA, you can get the O2 XDA2. This is a PDA unit with a phone option built in.

Don't go for a phone with a PDA on it, like the Orange SPV2000 as this is smaller than a PDA and useless for SatNav.

TomTom is tops.

[Rustynuts]

Yep, thought about an XDA, but we moved from O2 to Vodafone last year, and the coverage is far better where we live. Don't really want to go back. Also, if we go for a Smart phone rather than a PDA, I can get the phone free on the next upgrade in a couple of months, keeping costs down. I understand what you say about a small screen on a phone rather than a PDA but we'll only really need sat nav when out on a long trip (holiday or visiting relatives in other parts of the country etc.) and it'll be all of us. One driving, and the other navigating so screen size won't be too much of a bind.

Another plus is that the (fussy) wife rather likes the new Nokia 7610 and if she can just pick it up and use it as a phone then the sat nav will follow much better.

[jsheldon]

Thought about Tom Tom Go ?

For the same money though you can get a PDA system. Even if you don't use its functions now, you may find it useful later. For instance my IPAQ 2210 can be used as a universal remote control.

[Rustynuts]

Yep, thought about that (TomTom go) and the trouble would be leaving the car with it in, or carrying it about. She'd leave it in the car rather than carry it, and some fecker'd smash a window for it.

The same with the PDA system, but more chance she'd actually take that with her. I have considered long and hard about a PDA, but can't seem to get past the "Nice toy, but what can I use it for?" Certainly a better option than TomTom Go, though.